Respecting Each Other

“Male and female created He them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.”&nbsp!;—&nbsp!;(Genesis 5:2, KJV)

Christians know from the Bible that marriage is part of God’s divine order for mankind. “And the LORD God said, it is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.” (Genesis 2:18) “And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made He a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.” (Genesis 2:22-25)

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, marriage between one man and one women is foundational in God’s plan for us. “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife. And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.” (Mark 10: 6,7,9) My dear friend, Pastor Jim Garlow of the Skyline Church in Rancho San Diego, says: “This definition of Marriage has been affirmed by every culture&nbsp!;—&nbsp!;pre-Christian, anti-Christian, and Christian cultures, for the last 5,000 years.” The Bible is very clear. Marriage between one man and one woman matters and we must respect it.

Respect For The Sanctity Of Human Life

“I pray that this Bible study will inspire you! May it motivate and encourage you to love God, yourself, your neighbor, and those yet to be born. Come with me and discover your part in protecting God’s greatest gift, the gift of LIFE! Revelation 22:17″&nbsp!;—&nbsp!;(Joel Patchen)

Joel Patchen, Founder and President of Anna’s Choice,1 is my friend and author of the “Who Am I” Bible study that examines twenty-five (25) biblical reasons why Christians should respect, honor, protect, and defend human life. Joel answers the next two (2) questions for us: What does the Word of God say about abortion? “Abortion is against God’s will, did not enter His mind, must be stopped, is an abomination, will be judged, people who have committed it can be forgiven and healed.” (Psalm 139:13,14; Luke 1:44; Jeremiah 1:5; Numbers 25:33; Isaiah 45:5-12; Job 31:15; Genesis 1:26, 4:1; James 5:5,6; Galatians 1:15; Exodus 20:13; Jeremiah 32:35; Psalm 106:36-38; Proverbs 24:10-12; Psalm 32:1-5; Psalm 145:8-10; Zephaniah 3:17.) What does the Bible say about children in the womb and out of the womb? “Children are people from the moment of conception (i.e., fertilization), a blessing and highly valued by God. The Bible rears them as equals in word, thought and action.” (Psalm 139; Luke 1; Isaiah 44; Psalm 142; Hebrews 2:14-17; Psalm 127; Romans 8:16,17; Romans 9:11; 1st John 3:1) The Bible is very clear. Human Life is sacred and we must respect it.

Respecting Each Other

“Marriage is about attaching mothers and fathers to children, and mothers and fathers to one another.”&nbsp!;—&nbsp!;(Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse)

It’s time for the two (2) movements to come together. We need each other. As long as there is no respect for pre-born children, as long as it is legal to violently dismember our children in the wombs of their mothers, there will be no respect for marriage between one man and one woman. For too long we have fought for our own agendas and quietly behind the scenes supported one another. It’s time to boldly and publicly support one another.

According to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, “The truth is that behind virtually every abortion is an unintended pregnancy. This applies to all women&nbsp!;—&nbsp!;[B]lack, [W]hite, Hispanic, Asian and Native American alike.”2 In my neighborhood this reality is extremely painful. Again, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, “Black women’s unintended pregnancy rates are the highest of all.”3

According to theRoot: “Nearly half (50%) of Black Americans have never married. [This is] the highest percentage for all racial groups. Only 30 percent (30%) of Blacks are now married. Married couples make up nearly three-quarters (75%) of all U.S. families. Among black families that number falls to 44 percent (44%). Nearly 10 million Black families lived in the United States in 2007. Twenty-one percent (21%) of these families were married couples with children. This is the lowest for all racial groups. The U.S. average [for married couples with children] is 32.4 percent (32.4%). But nearly one-third of these families were single mothers with children under 18. The U.S. average [for single mothers with children under 18] is 12.1 percent (12.1%). Slightly less than 20 percent (20%) of Black families were grandparents raising their grandchildren. The U.S. average [for grandparents raising their grandchildren] is 10 percent (10%). [It’s] no surprise then that slightly more than half (50%) of [all] Black kids live with only one parent.” Black America is facing a crisis!4

As long as there is no respect for pre-born children, there will be no respect for motherhood, there will be no respect for fatherhood, and there will be no respect for marriage between one man and one woman. When we respect Human Life, we will respect Marriage. Help me end abortion. Let’s work together to end abortion now.

The Issues4Life Foundation targets and works directly with African-American Pastors and Priests nationwide and is dedicated to addressing the issues surrounding the inviolability of human life in the African-American community.